Ipswich Town goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski has been backed to recover from a bad week by team-mate Cole Skuse.

East Anglian Daily Times: Cole Skuse battles for the ball with Joao Carvalho. Photo: PagepixCole Skuse battles for the ball with Joao Carvalho. Photo: Pagepix (Image: Pagepix Ltd 07976 935738)

Bialkowski endured a night to forget in the 3-2 home defeat to Bristol City last Wednesday, netting an own goal and failing to keep out the second despite getting two hands to the ball.

The Polish international then spilled what manager Paul Lambert called a ‘bread and butter’ shot to gift Nottingham Forest the lead in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at the City Ground, with a mad dash off his line in the second half almost punished too.

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“He’s proven over the last three or four years what a good player he is and you don’t turn into a bad player overnight.

“He’ll dust himself down and he’ll be fine.”

The Blues are now seven points adrift of safety at the foot of the Championship table heading into Saturday’s game at Stoke.

There were some positives to take from the latest defeat, however, in the performances of young midfield duo Teddy Bishop and Jack Lankester.

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Bishop, 22, was making his first league start since rupturing his hamstring on Boxing Day 2017, while Lankester, 18, was handed his full debut following four exciting cameo displays.

Asked if this was a difficult scenario for Town’s youngsters to develop, Skuse said: “I’d have to disagree I’d think.

“If you asked them then the morale and atmosphere amongst everyone is not a bottom of the league team.

“You can see Bish and Jack play with no fear and with a bit of spark.

“Bish showed glimpses of being bang at it and I’ve said since day one he can play at the very top if he can stay fit.

“Jack can be the same. He expressed himself.”

Skuse added: “We have quite a young squad, but the older ones are going around checking how they are.”